69 Camaro, looks like a Z but I have no docs

thanks sean, I appreciate everyones patience. Ken treated that car very nice. it is a fantastic base. By the time I get the bodywork dialed, it will be a dream project for whoever finishes it.

everything points to this car being a Z. was it cloned in the 70's? who knows but if you can't prove it was cloned then it must be real.

1SLOW64 said:

everything points to this car being a Z. was it cloned in the 70's? who knows but if you can't prove it was cloned then it must be real.

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I agree Jeff. I don't think there was too much cloning going on in the 70s. And this thing has seen quite a bit of garage, and barn time over the decades.

rustbucket29 said:

I don't think there was too much cloning going on in the 70s.

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You must be younger than I am. I remember LOTS of cloning of Z/28's in the 70's. It started way before the cloning of the high dollar COPO cars because it was soooooo easy.

Go to the chevy dealer, buy Z/28 emblems and head to the body shop for stripes.

That's why there are 40,000 69 Z/28's for sale today, even though only 20,000 were sold new.

Even saw a DZ motor restamp in 1978. Wasn't even a four bolt block. Was an old 283 block punched out.

Just to show how bad it already was, I have a Super Chevy magazine from 1983 identified on the cover as "Spotting Bogus Z/28's". The article was titled: Zebras and Z/28s, How to spot a Fake Camaro"Z". Where did all the Bogus Z's come from? The 70's.

The article was written by Bill Petriko, whom, according to the editor, "For years, he has been selling exact reproduction window stickers for Chevrolets, Corvettes, Novas, Chevellles, Camaros and other models." EXACT QUOTE.

From the article:

"I have seen advertising in Corvette magazines for changing engine numbers. Cowl tags can be redone with incorrect numbers. Blank cowl tags can be purchsed. We are in the business of reproducing window stickers. We try not to do a window sticker for a car that is not correct, especially cars with special options like the Z/28. We have a file of orders that we returned because the car is an obvious fake. We have probably done window stickers for fake Z/28s even though we attempt to eliminate them. Some people will use these things to authenticate a special option." EXACT QUOTE.


Don't get me wrong. Your car has enough clues pointing in the right direction that I believe (for what THAT is worth) that it very well may be a Z/28. I hope you find the final clue that puts it over the top. I love success stories. Just don't think for a minute that the fakers and forgers didn't start up until recently. Been around for a long, long time, at least as far back as 1974, when the warranty ran out. Even John Butera's son (may have mis spelled the last name - and if you don't know who he is, then you are way younger than me) built a clone Z in the 70's. He wrecked a real Z. Put all the badging and parts on to a plain jane car and called it a Z/28. Read the article about it. So... next time some guy says he knows this car or that car is 100% legit because it has been in the family since 1975 (or whatever year you want to choose), don't be so sure.

Thank you Lynn. That was eye opening. I must be nieve I had no idea they were that sophisticated with cloning that long ago. I mean, I figured it happened from time to time but didn't think there was any reason for restamping blocks back then. But maybe it's because my mind doesn't work that way. What a shame.